When I’m home from university my job role is a carer. Many people think the job is easy, as a matter of fact I would probably say it is harder than any studying I have ever done. The workload is tiring, mentally and physically draining yet extremely rewarding. I wanted to write this post to explain what a day in the life of a carer consists of and that is not actually an easy way out.

6:30am

I am exhausted from not working a 12-hour-day the day before, but I put on a smile and wake my first client of the day up with a smile and cheery voice. The call is half an hour long, in that time I have got to shower them, make their breakfast, make their bed, give them their medication and of course complete the paperwork. They can take a while to get up and this can sometimes delay the other calls but patience is a virtue. I always give my client the opportunity to choose what they would like to wear for the day even though they are receiving help from us it is always important to allow them to remain independent and let them to make their own decisions. It’s 7:00am I now dash to my next half an hour call maybe five minutes late and being that five minutes late makes a whole difference to someones mood. Even though it is not my fault I am late I will accept the blame and try and do that little bit more to cheer them up, sometimes it can be offering them a shave.

11am

I have got approximately 10 clients up now gave them all a shower or wash applied all the correct creams in the correct places and give out all their medication ensuring i’ve signed for it all. It is now time for me to clean someones house for an hour or to do their shopping. And to think doing someones shopping is one of the easy tasks it is not. I have a list with a certain amount of money and you have the responsibility to get all the correct brands of what they want whether you think they could get a cheaper deal it does not matter. If they don’t have the product it is preparing to get the blame when I return. I put all the shopping away in the correct places and fill out a cash transaction sheet. Most are always grateful and that is very rewarding that I have done that bit extra to help them.

12:00pm

Time to make everybody’s lunch now even though I am extremely hungry myself I will have to wait. Indecisive springs to mind, Would you like soup or a sandwich? No. Ok so what would you like? I don’t know he or she replies. After going through a numerous of lunch options we finally come up with a lunch they fancy. That could be a homemade salad or poached eggs with tomatoes bacon and mushrooms. Whatever they fancy I will do and then rush to my next call to ensure they get their full half an hour and go through the same questions as the previous call. But still, once they are settled enjoying their lunch it gives me some kind of pleasure knowing they are having what they fancied.

14:00

It is now finally time for my lunch and a break. I sit with my cup of coffee and lunch writing out my timesheet for my next set of calls ensuring I know all the key safes and addresses. Sometimes there might be a new person so I have to text my supervisor for the address and routine.

15:30

My shift starts at 4:00pm, often it takes around twenty minutes to get there so I set off around 15:30. Usually the shift starts with assisting people to the toilets or re-positiong people using the slide sheet. It is then driving to peoples houses making their tea or peeling their veg ready and boiling their potatoes. Prepping their suppers and washing their dishes so that they can relax for the rest of the night.

19:00

I have made around nine different meals now. It’s now time for me to assist people into their nightwear and to bed. I’m not warm enough someone says. Ok I reply returning with a hot water bottle and tucking them in before leaving and locking their door. I have now assisted a numerous amount into nightwear and to bed, it’s finally my last call of the day. On this particular night, I have plans after work to meet my friends. Are you ok sir? I ask the gentleman that has fallen on the floor and his leg is trapped under a chair. An ambulance is on the way. Two hours later after comforting the man and ensuring he was ok and talking to him to cheer him up the ambulance finally arrives. It is now 22:30 I was supposed to be out at 21:00 but to me that did not matter as long as this man was safe and ok. I helped get his belongings together and a bag for hospital with all his medication. I had contacted his family and locked up his house.

midnight

I finished work hours ago, why am I still thinking about it? Is that man ok? I wonder how he is feeling in hospital? They are just a few questions that cross my mind. I am back up at 6:00am to start the day again. It could be a completely different day it may run smoothly or I could be ringing more ambulances. You just never know what your day is going to be like. But at the end of the day you always know you have helped somebody and made their day better and that is what makes the job worth it.

With all the work load, the cooking, cleaning, medicating, supporting people… It is always rewarding to see someone smile at least once a day.